


I'll Give the World to You

by orphan_account



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Angst, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Child Abuse, Foster Care, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, M/M, Panic Attacks, Past Child Abuse, except maria is becoming the second main character, she's taking over the story, this wasn't supposed to happen, typical foster care au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-08-09 16:41:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 10,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7809421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alexander Hamilton has been in the system for a year, and he's already experienced more than a lifetime of misfortune. Now he's being flown to Virginia for one last shot at a good life. Though he doesn't know if he should trust his new foster family, the Washingtons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Alexander Hamilton had been in the system for a year, and he had already lost faith in it. The homes he had been placed in were neglectful, and abusive. They were only in it for the money, and rarely tried to pretend to be welcoming past the first week.  
The latest house had been especially bad, leaving Alex covered in bruises and cuts, and it was only a month before his social worker, Seabury, was called to remove him due to 'violent tendencies'. Now, Alex sat in the beat up old car, waiting to leave the King's large estate. After a few minutes, the door opened, and once Seabury got in, he launched into a lecture.

"You had to mess this up? This was probably one of the best chances you were going to get, and you ruined it!" Alex had heard this speech many times, and he had stopped trying to defend himself after the third time. The man never listened, and in Alex's opinion, there were smarter dogs. No one ever believed him when he told them what was happening in the homes, so he had given up trying.

As Seabury continued on with his lecture, Alex sank more into his own thoughts, wondering what kind of family he would be dumped on next. He had long ago lost hope of becoming part of the family, but he hoped the next one would tolerate him.

"Hey!", Alex was drawn out of his thoughts by Seabury yelling at him, "As I was saying, because of your track record, I've gotten special permission to send you to a foster family in Virginia,"

"What?", Alex cut Seabury off, earning a sharp glare from the man. "You can't do that! I can't leave New York! It's my home!", That wasn't quite true, Alex thought. His home was in the Caribbean, and it had been destroyed in the hurricane.

"Well, I guess you'll just have to adapt to it," Seabury continued, "because it's the only other chance you're going to get."  
On the 45 minute drive to the airport, Seabury explained that Alex would be staying with the Washingtons, and their son. Mr. Washington was a U.S. senator, and his wife, Martha, was a nurse.

"The CPS seems to think that despite your violence, you deserve one more chance, but this is the last one you're getting. They're not going to provide a ticket back to New York, so you're going to be part of the Virginia system now, and I won't have to deal with your crap anymore."

When they reached the airport, Seabury dropped Alex off, leaving him alone. He had never liked Seabury, but he was better than the families, and he was a constant in life. Now Alex was alone, and soon he was going to be in a whole new state, with no one to help him. He considered running, but he didn't have anywhere to go, and he didn't think his body could handle that after the Kings. So He walked inside with heavy feet, and made his way to the gate.

After he found his seat, he fell into a dreamless sleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Sweetheart," A voice broke through the darkness in Alex's mind, "Sweetheart, we've landed" Alex opened his eyes, and waited for the world come back into focus. A young woman stood over him, shaking his shoulder. She smiled at him when he woke up, and walked away. He stood and grabbed his backpack from the overhead compartment. When he got off of the plane, the stewardess led him to where he would be picked up, and he started searching for a sign bearing his name.

He finally spotted it, held by a teenage boy dressed in black jeans and a purple t-shirt and sporting a wide, excited grin. The boy had his hair pulled up on top of his head. Alex headed over to him, a little self conscious of his ripped jeans, baggy sweatshirt, and slightly greasy hair pulled back into a loose bun.

When the boy saw him, his smile grew even more, if possible. He rushed over to Alex, engulfing him in a hug, and squeezing his already bruised ribs. The boy was about a head taller than Alex, and much stronger. All of this made Alex very uncomfortable, and scared, as he worried what would happen when things turned sour.

The boy seemed to notice Alex's discomfort, as he let him go and introduced himself. "Good afternoon! I am Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette, but you can call me Lafayette!"  
Lafayette was very energetic, and talked quickly through a heavy French accent. He never stopped smiling as he continued, "I'm very glad to meet you Alexander! I'm sorry George and Martha couldn't come meet you today, but they had to work, but you should be able to meet them when we get home though! We've all been very excited for your arrival, and we have your room prepared, but we didn't know what size you wore or what you liked, so we're going to get decorations and clothes tomorrow!"

Alex was confused by a few things the taller boy said. Why did Lafayette call his parents by their first names? And why would they buy clothes and decorations for him when he would be gone soon? Before he could voice these questions, the French teen was talking again.

"Well, we can't stay here all day! Let's get going!" Suddenly Alex found himself being dragged across the airport to the parking lot, and into a car. Lafayette turned on the radio to some pop station and started singing along, while Alex just stared out the window. After about half an hour of driving, Lafayette turned into a large driveway, going through tall gates. As the gates closed behind them, Alex felt a familiar panic sinking in, with the feeling of being trapped. When everything went wrong, he would have nowhere to run.

All of his senses seemed to dim, as Alex felt like he was submerged in water. He felt like he was going to be pulled into the infinite abyss of darkness when a voice cut through his panic. It was yelling his name, and someone was shaking his shoulder, pulling him from the sea.

When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the car with Lafayette, whose eyes were filled with panic. Alex instinctively flinched away from the boy’s touch, resulting in a mix of confusion and worry.

“Mon ami, are you alright?” Lafayette asked, his voice brimming with distress, “You scared me, what happened?”

When the feeling of sandpaper left his mouth, Alex responded, “I’m fine,’ He lied, “The size of the house just shocked me,” It wasn’t exactly a lie, the house was very large, and it gave Alex hope that when things went wrong, he would be able to hide until the family’s anger died down.

“Oh,” Lafayette sounded relieved, “Yes, I suppose it could be a bit surprising, especially since only three, well four now, people live here. Come mon ami, let’s go in, the car isn’t very comfortable.”

Alex exited the car and followed Lafayette up the front steps, and waited for the taller boy to open the front door. The door swung open, and he was met with a rush of warm air, and a grand foyer. As he stepped over the threshold, he silently prepared for whatever would happen when he met Martha and George.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never written anything like this before so tell me if i did this wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex meets George and Martha, and has some bad times.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I now have a tumblr for writing, come visit me at am-i-talented-yet.tumblr.com . Follow me and submit prompts from the list.

When they walked into the Washington’s home Lafayette dragged Alex through the entire house, starting in the largest kitchen Alex had ever seen, and ending in a hallway filled with doors. When the pair reached Alex’s room, Lafayette pulled open the door and continued speaking, but Alex didn’t hear him. He was too busy taking in the room before him.

It was bigger than any bedroom he’d been given before, and he didn’t even need to share it with anyone. Though he doubted the Washington’s would force their son to share a room with him. On the farthest wall, there were large floor to ceiling windows, framed by white curtains. Through them he could see the garden, covered with vibrant flowers, and a small fountain in the center. There was a desk pushed up to the left wall, next to a dresser and closet. On the opposite wall, was a short bookcase filled with what looked like law texts, next to a spongy armchair. Alex was glad to see the books, he hadn’t had anything new to read for a few houses, he just hoped he wouldn’t be punished for reading them. He shuddered as a memory of the Eacker’s surfaced.

Alex had never seen so many books in one place before. The Eacker’s had been very nice to him so far, though it was only the first week, so he should have been more careful.

_He had grabbed one of thick novels off of the shelf and sat there reading. He read for hours, eventually tuning out all the noise around him. That’s when Mr. Eacker burst into the room yelling at him for ignoring the calls from the kitchen, and for going into the study. Then, before Alex could move, he was grabbed by the wrist, shattering half the bones, and pushed onto the ground. Mr. Eacker soon had his belt off, and was lashing Alex’s back, leaving bruises for weeks._

Alex, deciding to make sure he locked himself in a room before reading anything, moved to look at the next wall. This one had a bed pushed into the corner, covered with deep blues. The blankets reminded Alex of the ocean, and the hurricane - No, he couldn’t think of that, not before he even met George and Martha. They would think he was messed up, or that they couldn’t handle all of his issues, or-

“Alex?” Oh no he had missed what Lafayette had said, now the boy would hate him, and have George and Martha send him away without giving him a chance. His breathing sped up, and the world dimmed around him for the second time that afternoon. Before Lafayette could ask him if he was alright, the door downstairs swung open, and a deep voice carried up the stairs.

“Lafayette, have you picked Alexander up from the airport?” The loud voice startled Alex out of his panic, making him jump.

“Oui, and I’ve given him the tour already!” then, turning to Alex, he said, “Let’s go downstairs and you can meet George!” At that Lafayette grabbed Alex’s wrist and pulled him downstairs.

In the foyer, there stood a gentle woman, only a few inches taller than Alex, and a tall, intimidating man. Alex didn’t notice anything beyond that, only thinking how much it would hurt when things went wrong. The man stepped towards him, and it took all his might for Alex not to flinch away.

“Hello son, I’m George, I hope you can feel safe and at home with us”

Alex fought the urge to laugh in George’s face. Feel at home? No placement was ever a real home. Alex hadn’t felt at home since his mother died. It wasn’t like the families tried that hard either. But he held his tongue, knowing laughing would only result in punishment.

The woman stepped in at that point, and introduced herself as Martha. She had kind eyes and a gentle voice, but Alex had learned to never trust first impressions. Alex focused back on the present in time to hear Martha tell them that dinner would be ready in half an hour.

George suggested that Alex become familiar with his room and unpack in the meantime. Alex, glad for the excuse to be away from the family, rushed upstairs. Though he didn’t he didn’t have much, he managed to spend half of the time putting all of his clothes in the dresser, and his notebooks on the desk. He was delighted to find out the door had a lock, and utilized it immediately. On his second glance around the room, he found a bathroom, supposedly all for him.

Alex had just opened his notebook, and was beginning to write, when there was a knock on his door, and Martha was telling him to come down for dinner. During the meal, the Washington’s went over a few house rules, though Alex was convinced there had to be more. There were always more, secret things he had to learn, families were never this nice. After he managed to finish half of the meal, and returned to his room, Alex fell into a fitful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! I'll try to get the next chapter up faster, but in the meantime hang out with me on tumblr!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex goes shopping and the gay finally emerges (along with the word 'and' several hundred times)

_The Lee’s were very nice. They were the first family Alexander was placed with in America, and so far, it seemed as though they were going to try to make him happy and safe in the new country. The family had just finished dinner, and Alex was doing the dishes, a small chore he had been assigned when he had first arrived. He didn’t mind, and it was a small price to pay to have a family. He didn’t realize he could make a mistake so soon, but looking back, he figured it was expected. Nothing good ever stayed for him. The slip-up came, he wasn’t paying attention to the chore, instead thinking about the looming threat of a new school. He grabbed a soapy plate, and was about to rinse it, when it fell out of his hands. There was a loud crash and the dish was lying in pieces on the tiled floor._

_Mr. Lee stormed in, the scent of alcohol on his breath, and pushed Alex to the floor. Alex thrust his arms out to catch himself, resulting in bits of the plate lodging themselves in the skin of his palms. Sitting up, he frantically tried to pick up the pieces. When he looked up, a boot met his nose, and a horrible cracking noise made it’s ways to his ears. ‘Stupid brat! What’s wrong with you?’ The words rang in the air for a moment, before another hit connected with Alex’s face. He cried out and Mr.Lee left him sobbing in the middle of the kitchen floor, shards of glass stinging his sides._

At the pain in his torso, he jolted awake. It took him a moment to realize where he was, in Virginia, at the Washington’s. The moonlight streaming across the floor was the only light in the room. Alex crossed to the desk, grabbed his journal, and began to write. He wrote about the dream and the Washington’s. He wrote about anything that entered his mind and didn't stop until he heard voices drifting up the stairs. 

He quickly showered and got dressed, not wanting to upset anyone by being late. When he finally made his way downstairs, Lafayette was the only one left at the table.When Alex entered, the boy looked up happily.

“Mon ami, I’m glad you’re awake! You just missed George and Martha, but they left a credit card and a shopping list. John and Hercules will be meeting us at the mall, so eat breakfast and we will leave! I’m going to go get ready, help yourself to anything you’d like!” The teen talked quickly and enthusiastically.

Alex wondered why he would be so excited for shopping. He didn’t have to wonder for very long, soon the answer had snuck into his head. Probably happy to get rid of you, the sooner the better. He opened the fridge, unsure if he was actually allowed to have whatever he wanted. He knew that he would be punished later if he took to much, so he only took an apple. Once he finished the fruit and Lafayette came back downstairs, they left the house.

In the car, Lafayette played loud pop music and chattered on about his friends. 

“They are going to love you! And when you start school we can introduce you to the Schuyler sisters, they're very nice. You also need to meet Maria, she's Eliza's crush. I can't wait for you to start school with us! You'll definitely fit right in with our friend group!” 

The topic of school and friends only made Alex more nervous. What if Lafayette’s friends didn't like him? Surely Laf wouldn't choose Alex over his friends, and if his friends hated Alex so would Laf. Then Laf would tell the Washington’s and he would be kicked out. Alex was so deep in his own worry, that he didn't notice when they pulled into the mall’s parking lot. He was startled out of his thoughts by the car door slamming and unfamiliar voices drifting to his ears. 

Alex got out of the car, and walked around to where Laf was with two new boys. The taller of the two seemed to be berating Laf for being late.

“What took so long? We've been here for-” He was cut off by the other boy shoving him.

“C’mon, we have a new recruit, at least try to make a good impression.” Then he stuck his hand out to Alex, “ I'm John, and this idiot is Hercules. Welcome to the Revolutionary Set!”

Instead of introducing himself or reaching out his hand, Alex was observing the two boys. The taller one, Hercules, he reminded himself, definitely lived up to his name. He was tall and strong, and looked like he could snap Alex in half with his bare hands if he wanted to. John on the other hand, was only a few inches taller than Alex, though he still had muscles and seemed strong. A smattering of freckles that Alex thought he could write pages and pages about, covered his face.

It was when John started to retract his hand that Alex realized he should probably respond. His face flushed as familiar shame rushed over him.

“Sorry! I'm Alex!” He heard a snicker from behind John and bent his head in embarrassment. Great, I already screwed this up. They think I'm stupid now, they won't want to be friends with me now. His train of self-deprecating thoughts was interrupted by a hand landing on his shoulder. He looked up to see Hercules smiling down at him. When he saw Alex looking at him, he opened his mouth.

“You're going to fit in great with us!” Then, turning to John, he said, “See,not everyone is great at first impressions! If you're going to let him get away with it you can let me!”

At his words, John snorted and shoved him again. Then he turned on his heel towards the mall’s entrance. Hercules followed behind, and Laf grabbed Alex's hand to pull him along.

The first store they went to was full of nice clothing, and it made Alex feel out of place in his torn up jeans and oversized hoodie. The moment they stepped inside, Hercules and Laf grabbed Alex and dragged him over to the display racks. Hercules, Alex found out, was quite interested in fashion, and even better at putting together outfits than Laf. Together, the two boys chose a large selection of clothing that they forced Alex to try on. Once they were done with dressing up Alex, the group made their way to the checkout. As the price rose so did Alex’s anxiety. The total was well past what any normal family would even imagine spending on him and he knew that there had to be a catch. He drew the line when the price hit 200 and there was still a large pile in Hercules’ arms. 

“It’s okay, I don’t need this many clothes. We can put the rest back.” He moved to grab the clothes out of Hercules’ grasp, but Laf held him back.

“It’s fine, all these clothes look great on you, and I’ve seen your bag. There is no way you have enough clothing in there.”

“But-”

“I will not take no for an answer.”

With that he grabbed the rest of the clothes from Hercules and placed them on the counter. Alex knew there was no fighting it and that he would be punished for it. The price wound up being over 400 dollars, and by the time they left the store all Alex could hear was the blood rushing in his ears. The Washingtons would be angry with him, and George was much bigger than Mr. Lee, and would no doubt be able to hurt him. Soon enough horrible thoughts were filling his head and his breathing was coming in short bursts. Then someone’s hands were on him and he couldn’t think. His legs stopped working and he fell to his knees. Someone had grabbed his hand and placed on their chest. He could make out someone giving him commands; One, two, three, in, one, two, three, out. They went on like that for a while, though Alex wasn’t sure how long. Once he was able to open his eyes he looked up to see Laf, John, and Hercules staring at him with worried looks on their faces. They sat like that for a few moments, and the longer they sat, the more worried Laf looked.

“Sorry.” Alex mumbled. At his answer Laf’s worry shifted to confusion. 

“Why would you be sorry? I am simply worried about you.” He grabbed Alex’s hand from his chest and held it in his own. “What happened?”

Alex considered the question, not sure if he should tell him. He had known how to help him, and he had been nothing but nice. Of course Alex had learned not to make snap judgements, but he was starting to trust Laf. So he decided to tell him why he was on the ground, not the full story but enough to explain the current situation.

“The Washingtons will be mad at me for spending so much money.”

“Oh no mon ami, of course not! You have nothing to worry about if that’s the problem, the Washingtons have no shortage of money and they put all these things on the shopping list.” Then Laf stood up, pulling Alex up with him. He pulled the smaller boy into a hug before walking forward to find the next store. John hung back, falling into step with Alex.

“Are you alright?” At the question Alex’s face went warm for what felt like the millionth time that day.

“Yeah, I’m sorry.” He looked up at John and was met with a face almost as red as his own.

“You don’t have to be sorry!” He said this a little louder than necessary and continued a little quieter, “I was just worried is all. I’m glad you’re okay.”

Alex wasn’t sure what to say to that, so he was glad when they arrived at the next store. He was less glad when he saw that it was an Apple store. Laf pulled him over to the phone cases and told him to choose one while he grabbed the essentials. Alex felt like it would be useless arguing that none of the things in the store were essentials. So he ended up picking out a lion case and handing to Laf before being sent out of the store with John to avoid any more price induced anxiety attacks. When they left the store John grabbed his hand and didn’t let go at any of the others. It made Alex feel warm in a way different than the usual shame or guilt.

The last stop was a huge bookstore. Laf said they had to buy notebooks, pens, and when he saw Alex eyeing the displays, books. Laf and Hercules left to find the stationary while Alex and John walked through the aisles. Alex chose a few biographies and John had insisted on him getting Harry Potter. They brought the books to Laf and Hercules and checked out. When they had dropped everything off at the car they got lunch. John had grabbed Alex’s hand again by the time they had their food and the warm feeling returned. Then Hercules headed to his car and Laf offered John a ride home. They left the mall, dropped John off and went back to the Washington’s. When they arrived George and Martha had both returned but Alex barely noticed. He barely noticed anything for the rest of the evening. And when he went to bed the warm feeling was still there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! I had most of it written but I didn't have time to type it up. I hope I can get the next chapter out faster. Come talk to me and remind me to actually write on my tumblr; am-i-talented-yet


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex's first day of school

Alex fidgeted with the tie on his uniform. He was supposed to leave for Mount Vernon High in three hours. He technically didn't need to be awake until seven, but he had barely slept the previous night. Any time he closed his eyes, images of Mr. King filled his head. Eventually he just gave up and took a shower before getting dressed. Now he just had to wait for a couple hours before everyone else woke up. As he stared at the clock time seemed to slow down. He sighed and leaned back in the desk chair. He glanced over at the bookcase. He had managed to read all of the books on the small shelves in the short time he had spent with the Washingtons. His mind drifted to the library down the hall and before he had a chance to second guess himself he was creeping out of the bedroom.

Alex pulled the door to the large room closed and flicked on the lights. He suppressed a gasp at the sight of the massive collection, ranging from Frankenstein to biographies on the American Revolution. He pulled down a thick book by a man named Ron Chernow and began to read. He didn’t hear the footsteps around the house or notice the light filtering through the windows. He did however, hear the shout from his room. He slammed the book shut and bolted to the other side of the room, hiding under the desk. Someone shoved open the door and Alex held his breath. He looked up and recognized Lafayette’s uniform.

“Alex?” Laf scanned the room as Alex curled into a tight ball. Laf’s feet drew closer until he was standing right next to the desk. Alex let out a whimper and Laf crouched down, making eye contact with him. “Mon petit lion, what are you doing under there?”

“I’m sorry.” He whispered.

“You have nothing to be sorry for! Come on, let’s get you out from there it’s all dusty.” Laf reached underneath the desk and grabbed Alex’s hands. He pulled him up and led him out of the room. “So,” He looked back at Alex, “Why were you under the desk?”

“I was afraid you would be mad at me.” He looked up for some sort of reaction from Laf, but he simply looked confused.

“Why would I be mad at you?”

“I went in the library without permission, and George and Martha will be mad too.” Tears started to fill his eyes at the thought of what the Washington’s might do when they found out what he did.

“Of course they won’t be mad. And I’m not either.” Laf rubbed circles into Alex’s back and reached up to wipe away the falling tears.

“Now, we have to go eat breakfast before we can leave for school.” He pulled Alex down the stairs and had him sit at the breakfast bar in the kitchen. He walked over to the freezer and pulled out frozen waffles. He dropped them into the toaster before joining Alex at the counter. Once Laf had eaten a few waffles and Alex had pushed one around his plate for a few minutes, taking a bite whenever Laf looked over at him, they left for school.

They pulled up in front of the largest building Alex had ever seen. There was a crowded courtyard and just the sight made Alex’s throat close with anxiety. He hesitantly stepped out of the car, following Laf through the sea of students and into the school. They walked to the school office and got Alex’s schedule. Soon Laf was pulling Alex through the crowd again to a group sitting under a tree. He immediately recognized John and Hercules and looked over the rest of the group, even though he knew he wouldn't recognize anyone. As he and Laf approached, a girl dressed in a pink crop top and blue jeans glanced up at them. She smiled and waved, dragging Laf down to a sitting position.

“So is this Alex? John has talked about you quite a lot.” She winked at John and his face flushed, then she reached out her hand to Alex. “My name is Angelica Schuyler,” She nodded to a girl in a blue sundress and a girl in a yellow tank top and shorts, “And these are my sisters, Eliza and Peggy.” Eliza offered a small wave and Peggy beamed. Alex smiled back and shook Angelica’s hand. 

“You should meet Maria.” Alex looked over at Eliza, who had begun talking. “She’s really sweet.” Peggy snickered and Eliza paused to glare at her.

“Just don’t meet her boyfriend. He’s a complete jackass,” Peggy interjected. Alex began to process the information when a bell rang and everyone began to stand. John rested his hand on Alex’s shoulder, and leaned closer so he could be heard over the students rushing to class.

“What’s your first class?” Alex fumbled to pull his schedule out of his paper and glanced down at it, face warm.

“Um… I have US History first.” John seemed to deflate a bit beside him, before the smile made it’s way back onto his face.

“I have Biology, but I can show you where you need to go. I’ll meet you after class, okay?” Alex nodded and John led him inside, stopping at their lockers before dropping him off outside US History. 

As he watched John walk away, Alex took a deep breath and turned inside, only to run into a solid wall of gray. He stepped away and looked up. There was a boy standing in front of him, he looked slightly familiar in a way Alex couldn’t place.

“Sorry! I wasn’t looking where I was going, and I-”

“It’s okay.” The boy cut him off and squinted at Alex before he continued, “You’re new here, aren’t you?” Alex nodded and the boy smiled. “I’m James Madison.” He extended a hand, which Alex accepted.

“My name is Alexander. Alexander Hamilton.” James nodded and stepped inside the classroom, walking to the front and sitting next to a tall boy with an amenable smile. Alex followed hesitantly, sitting on his other side. James turned to face him. “No offense, but if you’re new here, you probably don’t have many friends.” Alex felt his face flush and James took that as a yes. “You should meet Thomas, he’s a nice person once you get to know him and I’m sure he would be happy to meet you.” Alex nodded and considered what James was saying. He certainly wasn’t in any position to deny friends, and Thomas couldn’t be that bad. James turned to face the front and Alex took out a notebook. The teacher walked in moments later and began the lesson. It passed by quickly, and Alex was interested in the subject. They learned about how the financial system of the US came to be and, in Alex’s opinion, it could have been better. He jotted down ways that it could be improved in the margins of his notes and left the classroom. Waiting by the door was John. He smiled and grabbed Alex by the elbow, leading him to the next class.

When he walked inside he saw no one he recognized, so he took a seat in the back next to a girl wearing a red cable knit sweater and jeans, even though it was 70 degrees outside. He slid into the desk and she showed no signs of having seen him, staying hunched over her notebook. Alex considered what to do before reaching out and tapping her shoulder. Her head snapped up and her eyes were frantic as she glanced over at Alex. For a second Alex regretted bothering her until her face relaxed into a tentative smile.

“Hi, I’m Alexander, Alexander Hamilton.

“I’m Maria Lewis.” She glanced down at her desk before looking back up at Alex. “You’re new here?”

“Yeah. Um, do you know Eliza?” Maria seemed to light up at the mention of Eliza and nodded. “Cool. She told me about you. I met her this morning.” Maria blushed and began to open her mouth again when the teacher, Mrs. Livingston, walked in. Maria turned away and Alex looked up at the board to start his notes.

***

The lunchroom was a disaster waiting to happen. There were so many people and everyone seemed to fit in somewhere. And then there was Alex. He felt his throat tighten as he made his way through the crowd. He glanced around, seeing James talking to a boy in a hideous magenta blazer, Maria and an intimidating older boy who seemed to be a senior sitting together in the corner of the lunchroom, and finally Laf, John, and the Schuyler sisters. He began to make his way over to them, happy to see familiar faces, when he noticed how happy they were. Everyone was laughing and talking, they didn’t need him there. They had been friends for much longer than he had known them, they didn't need him bothering them. He turned and ran, down a hall and around a few corners, until he came to an empty classroom. It looked like it hadn’t been used in years. Alex crawled under the large desk at the front of the room and curled up. He thought of that morning and how Laf had found him and helped him. But this was different. Laf had needed to find Alex, to take him to school. Now they were at school and Laf had his friends. And Alex had no one. He buried his head in his lap and began to cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... You know how in September I said I would try to get the next chapter out faster. Ha ha ha... I'm sorry this took so long, but I didn't' trust stop writing for a month and a half! I've been writing little flics on my writing blog am-I-talented-yet on tumblr. You can request something there if you want. See you next time!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex finishes his day at school. It doesn't go well.

Alex didn’t know how much time passed as he stayed curled under the desk. Eventually the door swung open and he panicked. It was probably a teacher. The classroom had seemed abandoned, but Alex had obviously misjudged it, and now he would pay for it. The Washingtons would be so disappointed. He shrank in on himself as footsteps drew closer to his hiding place.

“Hey.” The voice was soft, and when Alex looked up he met the beautiful eyes of John Laurens. John held out his hand and Alex only hesitated for a moment before grabbing it and being pulled up. “What’s wrong?” Alex looked down, feeling John’s eyes burning holes into the top of his head.

“I’m fine,” Alex said, a it too quickly. His stomach knotted when he heard John sigh. He was such a goddamn mess, no wonder he had already messed up. “Sorry.” There was a beat of silence.

“What do you have to be sorry about?” John tilted his chin up, forcing Alex to meet his eyes.

“I made you come find me. You should be hanging out with your friends.” Alex swallowed down his mounting anxiety.

“Hey, don’t think about it like that. We were all worried.”

“We?”

“Yeah,” John began to smile. “We’re all looking for you.” Alex felt his stomach drop. He had inconvenienced everyone. Now they would hate him for sure.

“You didn’t have to do that,” he whispered. “I didn't want to bother you.”

“No one’s bothered. Now, I’m going to text everyone and we’re going to get you some food.” With that he pulled Alex out of the room and down the hall to the lunchroom.

***

Thomas Jefferson, Alex would come to learn, was not a kind person as James had told him. The way James had described the man Alex had half expected an angel. What he got was far from it. They met in a debate class, and though he seemed nice enough, the minute he opened his mouth, a pile of garbage poured out. And so Alex found himself as the sole voice of reason in the class and the only one realizing how stupid the things Jefferson said were.

“That argument doesn’t even make sense!” Alex could feel his anger reaching the boiling point. “America is literally a nation founded by immigrants! All of the founding fathers, who you seem to think are Gods, were either immigrants or descended from immigrants! Besides, even if they weren’t they still wouldn’t be good people! The founding fathers were-”

“Mr. Hamilton, that is quite enough!” Alex was cut off by Mr. Adams.

“But he’s wrong! His arguments are unstable and he doesn’t seem to know anything about American history!”

“What would you know about it?” Jefferson sneered. “Aren’t you an immigrant? I think you’re too emotional to have this conversation right no-”

This time it was Jefferson who was stopped. Though it was by Alex’s fist, rather than the teacher. A half second later Alex realized what he had done. Mr. Adams was yelling at him and some kid was grabbing tissues for Jefferson and Alex couldn't find it in himself to apologize. A few minutes later a security guard had appeared to escort him to the principal’s office. As he sat in the small waiting area Alex considered running. Of course he knew he wouldn’t make it far, and he didn’t have much with him that he could sell. Instead his brain turned to the Washingtons. Alex knew he would be in trouble when he got back. That CPS would be called and he would be thrown back into the system like a broken toy. George and Martha might still want to punish him though. As he thought that the door to the office slammed open, George standing in the doorway looking more intimidating than ever. He set eyes on Alex and walked over, stopping directly in front of him. When Alex flinched George seemed to step back, some of the tension leaving him.

“Alex, what happened?” Alex couldn’t answer. The question had been so far from what he was expecting, though any physical attacks would probably have to wait for the house. Alex glanced up again and George was still staring at him expectantly.

“I punched someone.” There was a sigh and George knelt down to be on eye level with Alex.

“I heard, but why?”

“He insulted me. He said I didn’t know anything because I'm an immigrant.” Alex looked up again, meeting George’s gaze for the first time.

“Son, you-”

“Ah, Mr. Washington!” Both Alex and George turned to see the principal, Mr. Arnold standing there, a large smile plastered across his face. “I’m so sorry to pull you away from your work, but this is a discussion we must have. Please follow me.” George stood and followed Mr. Adams into his office, leaving Alex alone again.

Fifteen minutes later, George walked out signaling for Alex to follow him. Alex scrambled to his feet and rushed out of the room on George’s heels. George led them out to the parking lot and didn’t say a word as they got in the car. The short ride back to the Washington’s was silent and Alex was terrified. When they reached the house George entered first, Alex close behind.

“Son, you can’t do that again.”

“I’m sorry. He just made me really angry.” Alex knew it was a weak excuse but it was better than nothing.

“You have two weeks of detention,” George said. Then as an afterthought, “And you’re going to have to talk with Martha and I after dinner.”

Alex only nodded, staying in the room until George picked up a book and sat on the couch. As he walked up the stairs, Alex thought of how strange the Washington’s were compared to his past placements. All of the previous family's either didn't care or cared too much about what he did. When he reached his room he took out his journal and began to write. A letter to his mother about everything that had happened to him. He finished and dropped the book into his backpack before lying on the bed and shutting his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know what you're all thinking, "Madison updated something within a week? Must be aliens." This is the fastest I've ever updated anything and it shocks me. I'm just really excited for the pain and angst, I've got a lot of ideas. Also important part of the story is it takes place in late September/early October.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex's second day of school

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so short! I just needed to set some things up for the future! There were a couple more things I wanted to add but I couldn't think of the right transition, so that will be in the next chapter.

“Alex. Alex.” Alex was being shaken awake by someone. He opened his eyes and blinked out the sleep. Laf was standing in front of his bed with a slight smile. “Ah! You’re awake! Come on, let’s go get dinner.” Laf crossed the room and was halfway out the door when he noticed that Alex was still sitting on the bed. He walked over and sat next to him, placing his hand on top of Alex’s. “What’s wrong mon petit lion?”

“I’m in trouble,” he whispered. “I punched someone and now George and Martha are going to be angry with me.”

“You punched someone?” Alex nodded. “Who was it?”

“Jefferson.” Alex spat out the name as though it were poison in his mouth. Laf’s brow furrowed.

“You punched Thomas?” He questioned. Alex felt a flicker of panic in his stomach. Laf knew Jefferson, was probably friends with him based on the way he said the name. Alex nodded again. “Why? He’s usually kind.” Alex stopped himself from laughing but couldn’t help the scoff that escaped him. “Was he rude to you?”

“Very. He told me I didn’t know anything, like he could tell,” Alex swallowed back the rest of his rant and looked over at Laf.

“That sounds out of character for Thomas. I’ll have to talk to him about it, I don’t want you two to be enemies.” Laf stood up, keeping his hold on Alex’s hand. “Besides that, George and Martha will not be angry with you, they’ll simply want to talk about how to avoid it in the future.” Alex looked up at Laf confused. 

“How do you know?” Laf’s face went slightly red.

“I got into a fight last year and we had a conversation.” Alex nodded and finally stood to go downstairs.

***

The talk that Alex had with George and Martha went just like Laf said it would, leaving Alex with a slight tingling feeling in his stomach. When Laf and Alex arrived at the school, their friends minus Peggy, were sitting in the same place as the previous day. When they got closer, Alex noticed a new addition to the group, the boy from his history class. John stood up and grabbed Alex’s hand, pulling him down to sit between him and Eliza. The boy extended a hand to Alex.

“I’m Aaron Burr.” Alex shook his hand.

“Alexander Hamilton. But you can just call me Alex.” Aaron only nodded.

“Hey guys!” Everyone turned to see Peggy walking towards them, Maria in tow. Eliza smiled and stood, hooking her elbow around Maria’s free arm. Maria blushed but didn’t pull away. She looked like she was about to say something when Peggy was pushed out of the way by a much larger man.

“There you are,” He snarled. “Why did you leave? Do you care about these people more than your own boyfriend?” Maria shook her head and the man pulled her out of Eliza’s arms. “Come on, we’re leaving.” He dragged a quivering Maria away as everyone else stared. 

Once they were out of earshot Alex asked, “Who was that?”

“That was James Reynolds,” Burr answered, “Maria’s boyfriend.”

***

When Alex walked into his first class he took the same seat as the day before. He smiled at James and pulled out his notebook. When he looked back up James wasn’t smiling back.

“What’s wrong?”

“Do you not know what you did?” Alex blinked and James sighed, “You punched Thomas, my best friend?”

“Oh, um.” James stared at him for a moment.

“Well, aren’t you going to apologize?”

“No, of course not! He was insulting me and he deserved it! You can’t defend the shit he said!”” James glared at him and gathered his stuff. As he walked away Aaron sat down in his abandoned seat.

“Maybe you should try talking less.” he suggested. Alex felt his face flush and turned to face the board. Aaron moved to his seat from the day before and Alex was left alone.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to have a fluffy ending. Oops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING
> 
> This chapter has implied abuse! Please stay safe, lovelies! <3

Maria crept into James’ home. Technically it was hers too, but it had never felt like a home. Nothing had felt like a home in years. She slipped her shoes off and set her bag on the small table in the makeshift dining room. She walked to her and James' room and pulled off her sweater, grimacing at the bruises lining her arms. She took a deep breath and started studying. James wasn't supposed to be home yet. He said he was going to be out with friends. She would be fine. As long as no one found out about what happened behind closed doors, she would be fine. She took another steadying breath and waited for James to enter the room.

***

"Alex!" Laf's voice echoed up the stairs. If it had been two weeks ago, Alex probably would have assumed he was in trouble. Yet in the short time of knowing him, Alex had realized that it simply meant Laf was excited. He walked out of the room and hurried down the stairs, meeting Laf at the bottom. 

"What is it?" Laf lit up when he saw Alex and hooked his elbow around Alex's before answering.

"We are going costume shopping!" He pulled Alex towards the door as though he should have expected it.

"What? Why do we need costumes?"

"For Halloween, of course!"

Alex stared at Laf for a second. "Isn't that a sort of satanic holiday?" His question was only answered by Laf bursting into laughter.

"Oh, no mon ami! Why do you think that?"

"Well, that's what my dad always said," he trailed off. Great, now he looked like an idiot. He cursed himself as heat rose to his face. "Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong," Laf smiled and grabbed Alex's hand, "Now get your shoes on and we'll go pick up John and Herc!" Alex nodded before slipping his boots on and trailing behind Laf to the car.

***

Maria pulled her knees closer to her chest and sobbed. She wrapped her arms tighter around her legs, willing the pain to stop. James had gone out drinking, as though he wasn't already drunk. For the thousand time since it all started, Maria thought she should run. But where would she go? She had nowhere to hide, nowhere that James wouldn't eventually find her. Besides he always apologized, always made up for it with kind words and sweet kisses, but never a promise to stop. Her phone chimed next to her head, sending a throbbing pain through her skull, and lit up with a message from Lafayette. She sobbed again, wishing she could disappear. Maybe once they found out what she was going through, her friends would forgive her. She turned away and covered her ears.  _Please go away._  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so short, I had more but it didn't really fit into this chapter! My tumblr has changed to write-like-i-need-it-to-survive ! You can send me prompts, though they may take a while to be finished! <3 Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! If you got an update for this, it's just because I was fixing the paragraphs, which, as someone pointed out to me, were all messed up near the end!

Maria tugged at her sleeve and glanced at the clock for the tenth time in three minutes. The second hand ticked by and Maria squeezed her eyes shut. Time seemed to be moving in slow motion. After what seemed like three more eternities, the door clicked and Angelica walked in. She sat down on the couch with Maria and set her purse on the floor.

"What did you want to talk about?" She met Maria's eyes and smiled. Suddenly all the words she had to say got caught in her throat. Her tongue turned to cotton and filled her throat. She couldn't do this.

She started chanting the words in her mind, pulling herself out of the fogginess of her own mind. _James has been treating me badly. He hits me and leaves to gamble. He drinks away our money and we never have food. Please help me, I've got nowhere to go. Even if I did, he'd find me. He'd find me and kill me. James isn't good. I'm not safe I'm not safe I'm not safe-_

"I'm not safe." The words rushed out and broke the thick silence, seeming to echo off the walls. Angelica gasped and started to speak, before getting cut off by Maria. "James has been beating me," she muttered, "He gambles and drinks and then comes home to hit me when he loses. I need help, please. I- I don't have anywhere I can go. Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease-" she dissolved into tears and leaned heavily against Angelica, who had wrapped her arms around her.

They stayed that way until a car door slammed outside the apartment, sending Maria to her feet. She rushed over to the window and pushed down the urge to scream when she saw James. Angelica was quick to follow and grabbed Maria's wrist, pulling her towards the door.

"Wait!" Maria dug her heels into the ground and stepped away from Angelica.

"What? Is something wrong?" She glanced into the hallway furrowing her brow when there was nothing, "We need to get you out of here!"

"No! I-I need to prepare! I don't have anywhere to go! I don't think I even can go!" 

"Please, Maria, you need to leave! You can live with us and we can get you new clothes, we just need to leave! Please, let me help you!" 

Maria hesitated before stepping into Angelica's arms. Angelica quickly lead Maria down the hall, turning the corner just as the elevator dinged. They kept walking until they reached the end of the hall. Angelica knocked on the door and Maria listened closely for the click that would tell her James knew she was missing. The door swung open, and they were looking straight at a man a little older than James with a dark buzz cut and green eyes. 

"Do I know you?" he asked. 

"No, but please, you have to let us in!" Angelica hissed, "There's someone after my friend and he's on this floor. If he finds her he'll-he'll," 

"He'll kill me," Maria whispered. The man's face softened and he Moved away from the door, letting them into the apartment. The main room was cramped, with books covering every surface and loose papers lying on the couch. As he walked through the doorway, the man kissed two fingers and pressed them to the picture of a beautiful woman. She had dark eyes and long hair. Maria couldn't help but feel like she had seen this woman before. She squinted, locking onto the eyes and thinking. 

The man interrupted her thoughts, "How long do you need to stay here?" 

"Not long," Angelica answered, "Actually, I was hoping we could go down the fire escape." 

He looked at her for a second before sighing and heading towards the window. 

"Fine. Whatever." He shoved the window open and picked up a long list of numbers from the couch as he stepped away. Angelica gripped Maria's hand as they stared at the pavement below. 

"Okay, let's go. Can't be that bad." She swung her legs out the window and steadied herself as she stood on the rickety structure. She turned back and smiled at Maria. "I'm fine. Your turn." Maria nodded and followed her down. They dropped into the parking lot and ran to Angelica's car. Angelica started it and began asking Maria questions, but none of her words had any meaning to Maria. She was too busy at marveling at what had just happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, that was so short, but I hope you liked it! I accidently introduced another plotline, I'm so mad at myself. Thank you so much for all the comments and kudos, it really means a lot to me!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Schuyler's Halloween party, because I can't write transitions for a full school week.

Maria felt like her head was going to explode. There was a rapping at the door and the faint vibrations of music, any trace of a tune lost in the space between her and the party. The party that was full of people. The party that it would be all too easy for James to sneak into. The party that Angelica had offered to cancel for exactly that reason. But, she was already living in the good graces of these people, she couldn't make them cancel the most highly anticipated party of the year. A harsh, loud, pound on the door caught her attention. Her head snapped up and she crossed the room, holding her breath.

_It's not James. It's not James. It's not James. It's not James._ She opened the door and flinched at the suddenly deafening sounds of the evening. Standing in front of her, was Peggy, holding a red cup full of what she could only assume was alcohol, and beaming at her. Images of James coming home drunk in the middle of the night flashed in Maria's mind, and she backed away.

"Are y'kay?" Peggy's words were slurred. She took a stumbling step forwards and Maria's breath hitched, despite the fact that Peggy was much shorter than she was. _Not safe not safe not safe not safe not safe._ "Maria, w's wrong?"

"Nothing," she whispered. Her ears were filled with rushing blood and the quick thumping of her own heart. She took a deep breath. Something flickered over Peggy's face.

"Is't 'bout Reynolds?" She managed a nod and took one more step back, her legs hitting the bed. "D'you wan'me t'leave?" She nodded again. Peggy shot one more lopsided smile at her before leaving the room.

When the door shut, Maria was engulfed in darkness again. She collapsed onto the bed and took deep breaths, focusing on calming her heart. She pulled her legs up to her chest, trying to dispel any thought of James from her mind.

***

Alex gripped John's hand tighter and took another step closer in search of some ounce of comfort. The crowded house and rowdy atmosphere were already enough to set Alex on edge, but mixed with the cheap beer everyone was drinking and the disappearance of Laf and Herc, it brought unpleasant memories to the front of his mind. John's hand slipped out of his grasp and he looked up from his feet. John gave him a reassuring smile and wrapped his arm around the smaller boy's waist, pulling him into a hug.

"Are you alright?" He whispered. Alex nodded against his chest and hesitantly returned the embrace. "Great, I'm going to get us something to drink. Anything you want?" Alex shook his head.

"Please, no beer." John smiled again and started to weave his way through the crowd towards the kitchen. Alex looked around. He was surrounded by unfamiliar people in a new house and the only person he had to guide him had just left. He wound his arms around his middle, longing for the touch that had just vanished, and wondered what to do next. An elbow struck his back and his shirt was suddenly wet. He stepped away, moving near the staircase and trying to remember where Eliza had said the bathroom was. He climbed the stairs, away from the mass of people, and turned left. He found himself in a hall of identical doors and felt a small pit of anxiety form in his stomach.

He paused at the first door and knocked. There was no response, so he pushed it open, watching as the light streamed into what looked like a bedroom. He stepped inside, stopping when he heard a whimper.

"Hello?"

"Alex?" A pair of wide, brown, eyes met his and he recognized the voice as Maria.

"Maria? What are you doing here?"

"I- I'm staying with the Schuylers for a bit, because- um-"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Her shoulders fell and her body seemed to relax at that. She managed a weak smile and made room for him on the bed, patting the seat next to her. He crossed the room and sat, making sure to keep his distance.

"Well, what about you? Shouldn't you be downstairs?"

He nodded, "Yeah, but, someone spilled something on me and I was trying to find a bathroom." 

She laughed, "It's three doors down and across the hall."

"Thanks," he hesitated, "I hope you're okay."

"I am. Now, at least."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this at literally 2 am but I'm so proud that I finished something, I don't even care. The next chapter will continue the party and I'm really excited for it! Thank you so much for all the kudos and comments! Whenever I'm having a hard time writing, I re-read them and they make me so happy! <3 Thank you for reading and waiting so long for this chapter!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Schuyler's party part 2

"There you are!" Alex spun around, coming face to face with John. "I was wondering where you snuck off to!" He held out a red cup. "It's lemonade, no beer." A smile crawled onto Alex's face and he took the offered drink.

"Thanks, I just went to find a bathroom and I got a bit lost." John laughed and took hold of Alex's hand, leading him towards the back of the house.

"Oh, I found Laf and Herc, by the way."

"Where were they?"

"In the garden."

"What were they doing there?"

"Eating each other's faces, mostly," he broke out laughing. "Herc was blushing so hard when I found them, it was hilarious!" Alex's breath froze,lying heavily in his lungs. "I'm so glad they finally got together, you could see the sexual tension!" He felt the knots in his shoulders loosen. So he isn't disgusted, he thought. Good to know. He looked at John's face, splattered with freckles and a faint blush. He leaned into the other boy as they walked into a small office adjacent to the kitchen.

"Are you doing okay?"

"Huh?" He pulled away and looked up at John, who now had a furrowed brow.

"You've seemed kind of tense all night, is everything okay?"

"I'm fine. I mean- I don't really like being surrounded by beer, but other than that, I'm fine. Honest, you don't need to worry about me."

"Okay, if you say so. But, can you promise to tell me if you need to leave or something." 

Alex nodded, "Promise."

John smiled and leaned forward, placing a kiss on Alex's lips. Alex was petrified. John Laurens was kissing him.Suddenly, a warm feeling began to fill his chest. But, as quickly as he had started, John pulled away, his face red. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me! You just look so beautiful, and I want you to be safe and- and you make me feel nice, like there's sunshine inside me, and-"

"It's okay," Alex cut him off. "You make me feel like there's sunshine inside me, too." A smile formed on John's face, swiftly growing into a grin.

"Can I- can I kiss you again?"

Alex nodded and leaned into John's embrace. John's arms slid around Alex's waist, pulling him into a desperate kiss. Alex smiled against it, content to stay in that moment forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good morning, everyone! Sorry that this chapter is so short! I actually finished this chapter yesterday, but I decided to wait until today to upload it. I'm also almost done with chapter 11, so keep an eye out for that all week! As always, thanks for reading and thanks for all the comments and kudos! <3


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Schuyler's party part three

“Ah! It looks like the tables have turned, John!" Alex and John jumped apart at the comment.

Laf and Hercules were standing in the doorway, Hercules' arm holding Laf close.

"Laf? Herc?" John sputtered, "W-when did you get here? And why the hell didn't you knock?" Laf giggled and walked over to him, draping an arm over his shoulders.

"It's fine, John." he waved his hand dismissively.

"That's really not your call."

"Shhhh," He pulled away and placed a firm hand on John's shoulder. "John, I need you to listen very carefully to me. Are you listening?" His words were slurred together, making the question come out as a barely understandable garble.

John rolled his eyes "Yeah."

"You aren't allowed to hurt mon petit frére," he turned to Alex, "And you aren't allowed to hurt John."

"Oh my God, Laf it'll be fine."

Laf pouted, his cheeks red. "If you say so."

"Come on, I think Laf had a little too much to drink. We should get out of here." John nodded and grabbed Alex's hand, leading him out into the crowded living room again. They pushed their way through the mob of people, until someone knocked into Alex, separating his hand from John's.

"Well, well. If it isn’t Alexander Hamilton." Alex glanced up and felt blood rush from his face when he met eyes with Jefferson. A small part of him rose in pride at the black ring surrounding the taller boy’s eye. 

"Jefferson," his voice was icy and sharp, despite his fear. Nothing would happen. Jefferson wouldn’t hurt him. Not with Laf there, at least. 

"How’s detention?" 

"Probably not as bad as having everyone know you got punched by someone half a foot shorter than you." Jefferson’s face contorted with rage. 

"You probably shouldn’t be saying that sort of shit, Hamilton. Especially when you’re at such a disadvantage." 

"What do you mean?" he stepped back, but was stopped by a wall of bodies. 

"Well, you’re all alone. no one’s here to help you, and no teachers are here to save you." 

Alone? He looked around. Laf had just been at his side, but now… John and Hercules were gone too, leaving him in a crowd of strangers with Jefferson. He tried to take a deep breath. He shouldn’t have been so quick to insult Jefferson, but now the damage was done and he would need to pay for it. Jefferson took another step closer, cornering Alex. He raised his arms in a feeble attempt at protection, just before a fist met the side of his head. 

The world seemed to explode. Stars shot across his vision as the force of the hit sent him sprawling. He pried his eyes open, only catching a glimpse of Jefferson’s expensive shoes as he pushed through the crowd. His eyes fluttered shut again and he curled in on himself. another set of footsteps were coming towards him. Maybe Jefferson was coming back for more. That wouldn’t end well. Someone knelt down next to him and suddenly, a familiar voice was filling his head. 

"Didn’t I tell you to talk less? It looks like you’ve made yourself quite a few enemies now," there was the clicking of a tongue and Aaron's arms were on him, grabbing his shoulders and helping him stand. "Come on, we’ve got to get you to your brother." Alex opened his eyes again and pulled away from Aaron, refusing to be a burden. Aaron just rolled his eyes and pulled him close again. "You’re too prideful for your own good. You look like you’re about to collapse, just accept my help." Alex nodded through the fog in his brain and let his head fall onto Aaron's shoulder. 

"Mon petit lion!" Laf was stumbling towards them, shoving his way across the room. "What happened to you? Where were you? I was worried about you a-and-” Laf cut himself off when he caught a glimpse of the quickly forming, red bruise on Alex’s face before launching into another round of hysterics. "Are you okay? Who did this to you? Where are they?" he pulled Alex into a tight embrace, taking him out of Aaron's grip. "Let’s go find John and Herc, then you can tell us what happened." Laf guided Alex out of the front door, down to his car. He pulled out his phone and sent a short text before hugging Alex to his chest again. "Don’t scare me like that again, mon petit lion. None of us knew what happened to you. You were there one minute and gone the next."

"Alex!" Another set of hands was on him now, tugging him away from Laf and into another hug. "Laf told us you just showed up with a giant bruise. What could have happened so quickly?" Alex felt tendrils of shame begin to crawl up his throat. 

"Sorry," he whispered.

John pulled away, holding Alex at arm’s length. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Just tell us who hit you." 

"It was Jefferson," he spat the name like poison. 

"What? Why would he do that to you?" 

"Laf, Alex punched him on Monday. I think that kind of explains it." 

Laf hummed. "Oui, but that does not make it right."

"Well, maybe he’ll get another black eye to match the first one," John growled.

"You don’t have to do that. I don’t want you getting hurt, too." 

"It’s fine. I’ve been looking for an excuse to punch his teeth in, anyway." 

"John!" 

"What?"

"He’s my friend. You can at least try to get along with him!" 

"Fine, I won’t punch him tonight." 

"Or tomorrow?"

"We’ll see." Laf groaned and walked around the car, opening the door. "Let’s get little Alex home. I think he needs ice on that bruise. Herc, mon cher, can you drive us home?"

"Sure, babe." He took the keys from Laf and climbed into the car.

"See you guys on Monday," John said. He leaned forward and planted a kiss on Alex’s lips. He pulled away smiling and held onto Alex for just a moment, before walking down the road to his car. Alex smiled and waved after him, pushing down the butterflies in his stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> O my god! is that a third chapter i spy? ye it is! I guess that's what happens when you have writer's block for two months. Anyways, I'm probably not going to be able to write next week because I'll be on a family trip. Though I'll be on a train for 2 days, so I might get something done! <3 As always, thanks for reading and thank you for commenting!


	12. Not a chapter

This story is going on hiatus. I haven't really been able to connect with what I'm writing and it's just turning into another stressor, rather than a hobby. So, until I feel a passion for this again, I'm not going to be updating.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want more fics from me or want me to write your request come visit me on tumblr at authorofpain <3


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